By Paula Day

Poverty hasn't gone away. Neither has sickness nor unexpected misfortune.

Members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society are aware of this and are at the forefront in the Church's efforts to carry out Jesus' directive to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless.

This Sunday, October 11, Catholics throughout the archdiocese will have an opportunity to share in the Society's charitable efforts at the diocesan level through a special collection taken up at each of the Masses.

Thirty-seven of the archdiocese's 65 parishes have local St. Vincent de Paul conferences, supported by contributions from with in the individual parishes. Monies from this annual October collection go to the Society's archdiocesan central office in downtown Atlanta. This office reaches the needy and supports charitable projects across parish boundaries.

Teroy Willis, his wife, Genise, and their children, Desymn, 6, Lyndsi, 4, and Theeroy Adisia, 1 month, are one of the many families that have been helped by the central office. "They were the first people who stepped out to help us in our situation," says Willis.

Recently the family experienced several reversals and had decided to return to New Jersey where they lived 15 years ago. Willis has family there and a job was waiting for him. They were packed and ready to go. Unexpectedly, Mrs. Willis, in the sixth month of her pregnancy, had to be taken to Grady Hospital on August 24 delivered their premature three-pound eight-ounce son. The Willises' financial resources dwindled while Mr. Willis stayed home caring for the two girls and the family paid for day to day housing at a motel.

Needing clothing, food, money, and a place to live that was suitable to bring an infant into, the family sought and found help from the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Sharon Maddox, SVDP social worker, arranged for the Willises to live at Ronald McDonald House, a temporary residence for families who have hospitalized children. In the meantime, the Willises' plans changed. Teroy Willis found employment and the family decided to remain in the area. They are now looking for a permanent home.

"We're looking at a house that's being renovated," Willis says. "We had an apartment picked out that had a peaceful atmosphere, a lot of greenery -- a good place for children, but because of my bankruptcy in 1980, we lost it. We need somebody to agree to rent us a house as soon as possible."

According to Willis, St. Vincent de Paul is holding $150 to be used for their rent payments. "All we need is a little start," he adds. "We're not seeking sympathy, but understanding and assistance."

Finding permanent housing is a priority for the family so they can bring Theeroy home from the hospital. "He's a determined spirit," Genise Willis says. "He's up to four pounds, eleven ounces. All the tubes are gone. He can be discharged as soon as we get an apartment or house. He knows us. When he hears us talking in the hall he looks around. Until a week ago, I was at the hospital every three hours to breast-feed him."

The Grady policy of not releasing infants when families do not have permanent housing is for the child's safety, Sharon Maddox explained. The Willises could take Theeroy, but the hospital would then have to notify Child Protective Services of their action.

The Willises' situation is typical of the kinds of needs SVDP's central office meets. Paying utility bills, giving clothing and food, transporting people to the doctor, are all part of a day's work.

"Poverty has not gone away," states Betti Knott, executive director for the archdiocesan conference. "What we do is an attempt in our own little way to meet the basic needs of people. People in the archdiocese have been very generous. The levels of contributions have increased over the past eight years. But so have the needs. There's never enough money. We do what we can do."

Statistics support Ms. Knott's observations. Last year's SVDP collection netted over $78,000. However, the society gave out more than $135,000, a difference of $57,000. The central office received 4,904 requests for aid; they had to turn away 1,230 families.

Ms. Knott is quick to point out the steady progress made by the Society. In 1985-86, by comparison, SVDP gave $119,840 in aid and had to turn away 1,613 families.

The central office operates three thrift stores, selling clothing and household appliances at reduced prices. "Two social workers spend all their time talking to people who need help," Ms. Knott explained. The office also makes referrals to the individual parish conferences.

Teroy and Genise Willis were not only impressed by the degree of help they received from SVDP, but also by the manner in which it was offered.

"We really got more than we asked for," commented Willis. "Right from the beginning she (Sharon Maddox) had an open ear. She not only looked into what they could do but called other agencies -- a lot of agencies. It's not just a job for her; it's a commitment. Our vibrations from them were very positive."

This comment does not surprise people familiar with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Unlike government social agencies, the Society is primarily a spiritual organization whose members could echo St. Paul's "The love of Christ compels me." Members take a personal interest in those they help, motivated by Jesus' words, "As long as you did this for the least of my brothers, you did it for me."